Indian Accessories

The land of Kerala State, placed in the southernmost region in India, is blessed with picturesque greenish landscapes, unique backwaters/lagoons, perennial rivers and highly educated, cultured and politically aware people.

It is one of the major tourist attractions in India, but very little is known about its beautiful traditional jewelry. Kerala women have a very strong passion for the yellow metal gold and so you can see several spacious attractive jewelry showrooms, better known as Gold Houses all through this small state.
Kerala jewelry has its origin from the age old customs and beliefs and the designs that vary in size and shape are really a feast for the eyes. These include the elaborate and exquisite ones as well as simple and functional. The Nagapadam or Serpent-hood pendent worn by the women from the Nayar community, Namboothiri ladies’ favorite Cheruthali necklace and the Mekka Mothiram, a kind of finger ring are typical examples of traditional Kerala jewelry. The women of all communities wear jewelry articles of different patterns for the neck, arm, nose and the ankle. The oldest form of the ornament used by the Nayar women was a neck-chain with a pendant in the shape of the serpent’s hood. The other important neckwears were nalupanti, addiyal, puthali, aval mala and patakkam. The nose rings were known as mukkuthi and nattu. The native Namboothiri women are mostly seen only with Kasumala for the neck and the waist band Oddiyanam, otherwise they do not wear expensive ornaments.
Even today Kerala women continue to wear the ornaments with undiminished enthusiasm and passion. The traditional and religious significance of rings for fingers, nose, ears and toes has never lost its credibility. It appears as bright new designs with an emphasis on style and class. Amulet, a type of ring used as a charm against evil forces, is also available in the stores. Rings for the ten fingers and Aranjanam, a piece worn round the waist are also part of the ring ornaments.
Earrings, in various forms and sizes, are embellished with enamel, stones, pearls and miniature chains and pendants shaped as small leaves, balls or bells and the traditional jimkhas in various designs and decorations are still very popular. Some are so heavy that they need the support of a cord or chain. Unsupported earrings are worn from a hole in the lobe which results in a permanent stretching of the hole to a high degree.
Bangles, locally known as Vala or Kapu are created in vivid charming designs and shapes. Women continue to wear the traditional necklaces in modern designs and with motifs in the shape of mango fruit, rice grains, the cobra’s hood, melon and cucumber seeds. Minnu, shaped like a cobra’s hood, symbolizes the marital status of Christian women. The present noserings Mukkuthi and Nattu are sold in small round shaped balls to studded diamonds and flat discs having ornamental surfaces.
The latest craze one gram gold jewelry is very popular among women as they get all types of sparkling trinkets at very affordable rates. In short, Kerala is a treasure of GOLD JEWELRY, rich in design and quality enhancing the feminine beauty and its rich tradition and culture.

Mahsrashtra state in the western and Arunachal Pradesh in the northeastern regions of India are very famous for their fine and precious tribal jewelry. In Maharashtra the chief metal used to make ornaments is gold.

The tribes mostly developed the art of making jewelry during the periods of Maratha and Peshawar dynasties.

In Kolhapur, a place in Maharashtra, is known for its unique necklace, Kolhapur Saaj worn by lots of women. This important necklace is available in various types such as Har, Malas, Mohammel, boral etc. Halba, an important tribe adorn themselves with a beautiful lock of braid called ‘Khosa’. They wear a jewel piece ‘Khinwa on ear tops and ‘a hanging ring Phuli’ made of gold for the nose. Their jewelry include a heavy necklace, ‘Chapsari’, Garland of Karipot or black pearl and garland of coins called Muhar mala. They use metals like gold, silver, brass, aluminum, clay, lead and wood to produce bangles such as Chude, Chudiya etc.

Most tribal women wear Gathla and Putalimala, traditional style of necklaces made of gold coins and a bracelet called Toda. Sari, a tight fitting neck wear, is a real art made by twisting two wires together having a spiral design at each end. Another form of neckwear, Chandraharas, has circular rings joined together. The magnificent necklace Mahammal is made by stringing molded beads together. The Maharashtra tribes, it can be said, are fond of colorful jewelry.

The tribes of Arunachal Pradesh make exquisite jewelry from primary materials and adorn these ornaments with other materials like colorful beads, wild seeds, feathers of birds, green wings of beetles, brass, bones, ivory, silver and gold. Tribal women think that ornaments enhance their womanhood and so they create jewelry pieces like necklaces, headbands, bracelets, belts etc and embellish themselves with these charming trinkets. For the tribal women their jewelry is a sign of prestige. The jewelry of these tribes are famous not only in India but in other global countries as well.
These tribes make beautiful necklaces out of colored glass beads that form an important material in their jewelry. There are various types of tribes in this region and jewelry form a special differentiating mark of each tribe. The Sancho tribe makes earrings out of materials like bamboo, cane, glass beads, seeds, and reeds while the Karka Gsllong tribe wear necklaces embellished with heavy iron rings coiled several times. But the tribal folks of Apatani group use iron bracelets crafted by blacksmiths. Another tribe Nishi wears a peculiar headdress on the forehead by rolling a big knot of hair into a bun decorated with feathers of Arunachal Pradesh’s signature bird the great ‘Hornbill’.
Thus for the people of Arunachal Pradesh, only long standing tradition and simplicity are required to live a complete life. They use only the available natural resources to make their jewelry and will continue to stick to it in the years to come.

Antique Jewelry articles, one of the several types of Indian jewelry, are classic adornment worn by ancient Indians. As their age increases their value also increases correspondingly. These antique ornaments never lose their charm and fashion,

instead retaining their unique attractiveness, elegance and outstanding value and worth with the passage of every year. Most of these jewelry articles are handmade and each piece exhibits unique features and characteristics. The extraordinary skills of ancient jewelry designers are seen in the exquisite and impressive designs, styles and structures of the antique pieces. People are quickly mesmerized to these features and the traders have no hesitation in laying down a selling or trading price for each antique article.
Previously these antique ornaments were considered as jewelry pieces worn mostly by old women. But with the changed trends and perceptions this antique jewelry has become a favorite among most of the age groups and is worn as a fashionable ornament by almost all sections of societies.
Usually antique jewelry is not available in the ordinary jewelry shops. Original pieces of antique jewelry are mostly found in some trustworthy places like niche showrooms, historical auction centers and stores of antique dealers.
Another easy method to locate antique dealers is by searching online. You can find a number of websites that offer various antique jewelry pieces at very cheap rates. But be careful while dealing with them because there might be fraud sellers who do not supply the original pieces. It has been found that most of the jewelry articles sold through these websites are not the real ones. They may send you a very low cost antique ornament and collect a huge amount from you. So gather all the information about the products and the website companies that deal with the antique pieces. This way you can find the original antique jewelry article you want to buy,
It is commonly found in Indian families that the antique ornaments pass from one generation to the next generation and they are treated as a part of the family properties. You may get original antique jewelry articles by making a visit to such old families.
But in the recent years antique jewelry goes through oxidizing and similar other processes to make it modern fancy jewelry by giving it a dull look.

India’s true culture and heritage rest with its tribal community because the tribal people have preserved the ancient arts and crafts in their proper form while the rest of India had been continuously influenced by globalization.

Ethnic tribal jewelry could be surely included in the preserved craft. India has several types of tribal folks, each differing from one another in many ways and the jewelry created by each is also unique in its own style. They use materials available in the local area to make jewelry that is charming in its rustic and earthy way. They craft their jewelry using primitive tools and its appeal lies in its chunky, unrefined looks. The raw materials like bone, wood, clay, shells, crude metals etc are generally used to make tribal jewelry and the shapes are basic.
The Rajasthan tribes, Banjara, create colorful heavy jewelry and belts that are decorated with shells, metal-mesh, coins, beads and chains. Their very famous silver jewelry, a vast collection of earrings, bracelets, bangles, armlets, anklets, hairpins and necklaces, have a unique oxidized appearance and are usually embellished with tiny silver bells and color stones.
The tribes of Bastar in Madhya Pradesh State produce jewelry of grass, beads and cane and popular traditional ornaments out of silver, wood, glass, peacock feathers, copper and wild flowers. Their women wear chains of one rupee coins.
Meghalaya’s tribes Khasi and Jaintia make a unique type of necklace with thick red coral bead and Garo tribe makes the same with thin fluted stems of glass strung by fine thread.
The tribe of Sikkim called Bhutia has jewelry of gold, silver, coral, turquoise and zee stone.
The picturesque North East Indian state’s tribal jewelry of cane and bamboo is very famous. They also use brass, bone, ivory, silver and gold to make their jewelry that are decorated with colorful beads, blue feathers of birds, green wings of beetles. The tribe called Wanchos creates earrings of glass beads, wild seeds, cane, bamboo and reed while the Karka Gallong tribal women wear heavy iron earrings that are coiled several times, metal coin necklaces and waistbands of leather embedded with stones.
Here special mention should be made about the silver bangles of the Gonda tribe. Some bangles are solid while others are hollow. The jeweler makes the bangle in such a way that once it is worn cannot be removed forever. Bangles for special occasion are removable with a hinge mechanism.

Though accepted as a universal jewel, the rings made in India have distinct features and fine qualities. Go inside a popular jewel show room and have a glance at the innumerable rings displayed in the glass cases. These rings are exceptionally beautiful and glamorous in fabulous designs and sizes, embellished with colorful stones or beads. In India even a new born baby’s fingers will be decorated with very tiny golden rings.
Rings are usually worn on finger or thumb, but this small ornamental hoop could be attached to the ear or the nose. All the leading retailer of fine jewelry offer a huge selection of engagement rings, anniversary rings, wedding rings, gemstone and diamond rings, rings in gold, silver and platinum etc.
Diamond rings with Gemstones will make any occasion a long lasting memorable day. Whether the bride loves three stone diamond ring or a platinum diamond ring with gemstones, you are shown a wide range of exquisitely designed rings from which you can select one to please “the would be diamond” in your life. The diamond gemstone rings, in vibrant attractive designs, exemplify splendor and charm. There is also a vast collection of fancy and colorful casual diamond rings to be worn on any occasion.
In India way back during 2500-1500 BC finger rings made of bronze, gold, and silver have been found in the Indus valley whereas in Egypt rings from 1600 B.C. were considered as a symbol of status and were exchanged as a pledge or seal of faith.
Wedding Bands: For Europeans wearing a ring is a symbol of commitment and love and this culture has spread all over the world. Now wedding bands have become a tradition for marrying couple every where. Diamond, gold and titanium rings have all their own meaning. Both traditional and new designs of plain wedding bands are available and the selection of bands includes ornate designs cast in yellow or white gold.
Today rings are available in numerous designs and in any material like plastic, brass, iron, aluminum, stainless steel etc. Young people prefer rings made out of such materials and they are decorated with bright motifs, stones and funky designs making the rings a bold fashion statement. You also get rings with inlaid stones that provide an extra sparkle to this small jewelry. You find rings with very small thin pendants hanging loosely. This tiny piece of jewelry, though simple, looks very elegant on the wearer.

Platinum is a malleable, ductile, lustrous, silver-white metal that is chemically inactive. The jewelry made out of this metal is long lasting and very precious with its elegance and beautiful design. Platinum is harder, heavier and costs almost three times more than gold. But the jewelry metal has its own market in view of its purity and rarity. It looks fantastic when polished or matt finished with a solitaire. When scratched the metal loses not even a bit. As platinum does not get tarnished it is an ideal choice to make ever-shining strong ornaments.
The demand for platinum jewelry is growing in Indian cities at the rate of 20 to 30 per cent every day. Indian women are particularly impressed with the high level of purity in platinum—95%. Platinum is also used to make modern jewelry with traditional touches. Though platinum has the desirable features like rarity, purity and eternity its high cost causes a major concern for the average middle class Indian. Their budget may allow them to go for small articles like finger rings, earrings, noserings etc while big trinkets like necklaces, bangles etc are far beyond their reach. But this platinum jewelry has the blessings and admiration of the upper class wealthy lots.
Platinum has a high melting point and this feature causes extra hardships to mold in different beautiful shapes of jewelry articles. This automatically leads to the bigger costs for platinum ornaments.
Rings, pendants, bracelets, chains… the choices ate plenty. Indian platinum is white and both men and women wear platinum accessories. Platinum jewelry inlaid with precious stones is also available. A ring or a pendent with a diamond fixed on it enhances the beauty of the ornament. If you want to buy a platinum ornament you can get it from merchants who sell very attractive and custom designed ones.
This expensive metal plays a significant role in the Indian engagement ceremony in the form of rings. The adjustable rings, available in various forms and designs, can usually be made out of silver, gold or platinum. It you have sufficient money to spend, then an artistic platinum ring is a perfect choice to show your love and affection. The two important virtues, attractiveness and durability, of platinum rings place them in the top most position of engagement rings. Platinum rings are available in the market in lot of styles and designs, to name a few, solitaire diamonds, pearl diamond, diamond platinum, platinum engagement rings, platinum eternity rings, emerald platinum, and aquamarine platinum. You can make a selection that best suited to your spouse.
No doubt, spending money on different classes of platinum jewelry is a big investment. In reality this jewelry imparts an appreciated upper class image on you in the society. This might eat away a good portion of your purse, but when you wear one you will stand out in a gathering,

From the very ancient times people in India are in the practice of making and using bead jewelry. Indian jewelry is very famous and Indian jewelry designers are appreciated lavishly for their innovative exquisite designs. Indian bead jewelry is no exception; it has placed a firm foot in the global market.
Beads are made out of a variety of materials and these beads in turn are used to make fine jewelry. Some popular types of bead jewelry are Glass bead, Shell, Metal bead, Crystal, Ceramic, Wooden bead, Pearl, Clay bead, Paper bead, Gemstone bead, Papier mache bead, Plastic bead, Bone, Horn, Ivory, Coral, Resin bead, Seed bead, Rudraksha bead, Myrrh bead and Coco beads.
These materials are used to make different types of beads and these beads in turn are strung on elastic, natural fiber thread, wire, or nylon to produce various attractive bead jewelry. Or bead ornaments are made by fitting these beads to various surfaces. A great deal of imaginative, creative and dexterous skills is required in the creation of beads. Raw materials could be converted into beads of various shapes and sizes. The popular bead shapes are spherical, tetragonal, oval, cylindrical, diamond shaped, flat, bugle or tubular, charlotte cut.
It is possible to decorate the beads in various methods. It could be made more attractive by painting, varnishing, engraving etc or adorned with glitter. There are transparent, translucent or opaque beads and they are available in almost all shades like watery colors, pastels, bold shades, florescent bright colors, metallic hues etc. To say the least, there is great scope for the manufacture of bead jewelry in unlimited shades, shapes and decorative designs.
Most of the popular ornaments such as necklaces, bracelets, anklets, earrings, bangles, finger rings and armlets could be made out of beads. Articles like belts, brooches and hair jewelry studded with fascinating beads are also available in plenty. Charming jewelry made out of beads was in vogue in India since very early ages. Indian jewelry, consisting of tribal trinkets, fashion jewelry, custom jewelry and even traditional ornaments, has been crafted out of various kinds of beads.

Rajasthan state could be termed as a Shopper’s Paradise more than any other Indian state because it still continues to use its very old techniques and skills in the traditional craft to create some of the most gorgeous and exciting products in the world, to name some Tie and dye fabrics in radiant colors, fine block printed textiles, beautifully carved wood and ivory items, lacquer and filigree work, precious stones that are delicately cut, exquisitely enameled silver Victorian jewelry etc.

Particularly Rajasthani jewelry is very famous for its craftsmanship and designs. Jaipur meenakari, a very special work done with colored glass has world wide popularity. Rajasthani crafters work on silver skillfully to make enchanting ornaments embellished with various multi-colored stones and beads and women love to wear these beautiful pieces. These are ideal options for affordable gift shoppers.

In the field of sterling silver also, Rajasthanis have established themselves substantially in the manufacturing and exporting of eye-catching jewelry blended with traditional and rich cultural heritage. They offer superior quality products with innovative designs and exquisite craftsmanship.

Thewa Jewelry is a unique type of jewelry originated in the state Rajasthan in 1767 under the patronage of Maharawat Samant Singh. Theva locally means “setting”. Theva is a traditional art that requires great skill. It involves fusion of 24kt gold with multicolored glass. Pure gold sheets are fitted in a bed of resin and then the whole design is pierced on the gold sheet. The finished sheet known as the Theva Ki Patti is slowly and carefully taken out and is placed on the colored glass base. This unit gets fused when heated on in open crucible. Each unit has a flat piece of red, green or blue glass usually depicting ruby, sapphire or emerald. The colored glass is given a special treatment to produce more glitter to highlight the gold jewelry. The Theva jewelry with its breathtaking intricate designs and the raging colors enjoys a worldwide appeal and popularity.

Beaded silver jewelry of Rajasthan can satisfy those who look for something trendy and colorful as various colored gemstone beads are used to embellish this type of jewelry. This beaded jewelry is available in ethnic and traditional designs and also in a variety of shapes and colors. You can design your own beaded jewelry by selecting your favorite beads of gemstones of desired shape and color as semi-precious stones are available in all possible colors.

India has a very prominent place among the oldest and persistent countries for producing glittering jewelry around the world. Mixed with tradition and latest fashion Indian jewelry attracts the whole world with a desire of owning at least one sparkling and pricey designed jewel in the life time. The types of Indian jewelry are plenty and you will wonder when you know that from hair to toe each part of female body can be decorated with an ornament. Each kind of jewelry has its own style and the full credit of this style goes to the various Indian tribes that designed them initially. The stones like coral, sugilite, charoite and gaspeite are mostly used in Indian jewelry. To know the historical facts of Indian jewelry is fascinating and any human being will be mesmerized to the different kinds of Indian jewelry with just a look.
Sub- continent India has a longest strongest continuous legacy of jewelry making around the world. We have confirmed evidences to show that people belonging to the Indus Valley civilization around 1,500 BC had started creating gold earrings and necklaces, bead and metallic necklaces. Another peculiar feature connected with this civilization is that these ancient people did not bury the jewelry with the dead whereas many other cultures followed that custom. Although diamonds were first mined in India, reliable evidences are there to show that they used precious gems in the jewelry even before that.
India can boast of a large variety of body jewelry, like nose rings, earrings, bracelets, crowns, rings, anklets, chokers, amulets and necklace. A craftsman or goldsmith has to follow certain rigid rules while making the jewelry such as the temperature has to be kept at low as the heat could harm the gold threading, they have to concentrate on each piece at a time etc. That is why the jewels need such a long time to get finished and the cause for the long wait. The wait is worth, at the same time very expensive too.
Ornaments made out of the yellow metal, gold, continues to be the leader in Indian jewelry. Recent years have seen silver as well as platinum emerging as strong contenders. Low- priced jewelry produced out of materials like wood, plastic, glass, aluminum etc is also gaining popularity in India. You can see a spurt in the demand for designer jewelry too. These days pastel colors are doing very well in the wedding market. Moreover, people have become experimental that has led to new designs. There is a great demand for fashion and fusion jewelry too. The rage is detachable jewelry that can be put to multiple uses. Add an element to it, it becomes an evening wear, take something out and it is ready for an official gathering.

Gemstones are used at a large scale in the production of various fascinating jewelry items since they are considered as captivating and elegant piece that can be fixed prudently in jewelry. It is also believed that most of the gemstones possess certain religious as well as medicinal values. The most interesting fact about gemstones is that each calendar month is associated with a specific gemstone, known as the birthstone of the month. Several silver gemstone jewelry are fashioned and marketed on the basis of these beliefs.
Here you get a glimpse of some of the famous gemstones used in silver gemstone jewelry and their importance.
Garnet is the birthstone of January and this very pretty stone represents fidelity and commitment.
Amethyst is considered as the birthstone of February. Silver jewelry embedded with Amethyst is very special to wear often because this gemstone associated with piety, spirituality, and its power to restore tranquility.
Aquamarine, another powerful gemstone, is believed to have the ability to help digestion and bring relief to people who depend upon drugs for their ailments. Aquamarine, the birthstone of March is believed to have the power to lessen anger and remove unwanted thoughts.
Diamond, the brilliant gemstone, is the birthstone of April. This gem is popularly considered as a girl’s dearest friend’ and as being ‘forever’. The diamonds represent eternal love and beauty and are associated with reliability and longevity. Indians prefer to wear gold or silver rings studded with diamonds on their fingers for these benefits.
Jewelry made of gorgeous gemstone Emerald, the birthstone of May, is believed to bring wisdom, growth and patience.
The birthstone of June, Pearl, is elegant and a symbol of purity and refinement.
Gemstone jewelry, decorated with Ruby, is very popular with the belief that if worn on the left hand, it will bring good luck. This is the birthstone of July.
Peridot is the birthstone of August. There is a belief that this gem has the power to ward off evil and can cure asthma. Silver as well as other metal ornaments set with Peridot gemstone represent fame and strength.
Sapphire, the birthstone of September, is a symbol of sincerity and faithfulness and is believed that it has the power to remove envy and restore fidelity.
The pretty gemstone Opal is the birthstone of October and is supposed to be the symbol of confidence and faithfulness.
Jewelry adorned with Citrine is worn by people to enhance self-confidence and creativity. It is believed that this birthstone of November can remove toxins from the body.
Turquoise is beautiful and is the birthstone of the last month December. This is considered as a holy gemstone because the jewelry set with this gemstone is supposed to promote mental and spiritual clarity. Moreover this is a good luck charm.